ENUMERATION OF CONIFERS 



177 



THE DESCRIPTIONS 



In the following pages are described all the conifers, ever- 

 green and deciduous, probably in cultivation in the continental 

 United States and Canada. The distinguishing of these kinds 

 or species is often difficult. One should have cones as well 

 as leaves to make certain of identification. The descriptions 

 are, of course, technical, for there is no other way of clearly 

 separating the species and varieties. To identify the kinds 

 accurately and with conviction is itself a satisfaction, com- 

 parable even with the rearing of the plants. 



'm^ 



Fam. I. GINKGOACE^. 

 GINKGO FAMILY 



Deciduous resinous tree, 

 without true vessels in the 

 secondary wood: leaves fan- 

 shaped, parallel- veined : flowers 

 dioecious; the staminate flowers 

 catkin-like, the anthers borne 

 in stalked pairs on a slender 

 axis; the fertile flowers long- 

 stalked with usually 2 ovules; 

 fertilization by motile sperm- 

 cells: fruit drupe-like with a 

 fleshy outer and a bony inner 

 coat; embryo with 2 cotyledons. 

 — One monotjTjic genus in east- 

 ern China. (Ginkgo is the 

 Chinese name of the tree.) 



GINKGO, L. I^L\IDEN- 

 HAIR TREE 



G. biloba, L. {Salisburia 

 adiantifolia, Sm.). Fig. 22. 

 Rather sparsely branched tree 

 to 120 feet tall, glabrous: leaves 12. Ginkgo bilobl' Staminate flowers at s; pistillate 

 alternate or in clusters of 3-5 at j>; fruits, about one-half natural size, at a. 



